Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson stated on Sunday, October 18, 2026, that he does not regret telling Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to "shut up" during a televised debate. The exchange occurred during the candidates' final debate on Thursday, October 15, 2026, after a protester interrupted the proceedings. Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, is challenging Collins as she seeks a sixth term in the U.S. Senate.
The confrontation began when a 19-year-old student, later identified as Henry Elgie, began shouting about data centers while Collins was speaking. As moderators moved to remove the protester, Collins remarked that the individual was "obviously one of Troy’s supporters." Jackson immediately replied, "Oh, shut up. I don’t even know that kid."
Following the debate, the Sunrise Movement, an advocacy group supporting the Green New Deal, claimed the protester was a volunteer for their organization. Elgie told The New York Times in an interview published Saturday, October 17, 2026, that he had "zero coordination" with the Jackson campaign and did not know the candidate personally. Jackson reiterated in a CNN interview on Sunday that he had no prior knowledge of the interruption and felt Collins was "talking down" to him.
Collins addressed the remark during an appearance on Fox News on Friday, October 16, 2026, describing Jackson's response as "automatic" and "very telling." She referenced Jackson's reputation in the legislature, citing previous instances of what she characterized as aggressive behavior toward female colleagues. Jackson acknowledged past confrontations, including an incident where he threw a water bottle in frustration, but stated he had previously apologized for those actions and attributed the current criticism to Republican campaign spending.
The exchange has become a point of contention regarding candidate temperament in the weeks leading up to the November 3 election. Susan Collins is the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history, while Troy Jackson is a high-ranking state official. The interaction has become a focal point for campaign messaging in the race for a six-year term that carries a base annual salary of $174,000. Following this debate, the next major milestone is the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.